Outside case for coffins



no Model.)

0. G. BOWER. Outside Case for Coffins.

No. 240,372. Patented April 19,1881,

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STATES a'rnnr OUTSIDE CASE FUR COFFINS.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 240,372, dated April 19,1881.

' Application filed January 4, 1881. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES C. BOWER, of the city of Reading, county ofBerks, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvementin the Construction of Outside Cases for Goffins, of which the followingis a specification.

This improvement has more particular reference to use in wet or marshyground and where the corpse is temporarily buried for future removal.

The accompanying drawings represent my improvement.

Similar letters designate similar parts.

Figure l is a perspective elevation Fig. 2, a sect-ion at :r m,- Fig. 3,elevation of a bolt with a ring-nut; Fig. 4:, plan of the lid.

A represents the body of the case, made in the usual form of the woodencase. B is the lid. 0 Q are bolts having their heads embedded in thesides of the case. (I d are bolts similarly secured in the lid.

It has long been a desideratum to have acoffin-case that would beimpervious to both moisture and air, and many attempts have been made tomeet the want, thus far unsuccess' fullythat is, commercially. Caseshave been constructed of iron, glass, cement, papiermach, terra-cotta,india-rubber, and bitumen, all more or less fulfilling the requirementsas far as the preservation of the coftin and body was concerned 5 butwhere the material was cheap, the weight (caused by the thicknessnecessary for strength to permit handling) was excessive, and where theweight was not objectionable the cost of the materials was a bar to itsgeneral introduction. I

I claim to have discovered an available are dium-constructing with myimproved compound a light yet strong case, and one which can bemanufactured at a moderate advance upon the price of wooden cases ofgood construction.

The advantages of a water-proof and indestructible case are manifold. Itsaves walling up of the grave, can at any time be removed without anyoffensive'odors arising therefrom, can be shipped to any point asreadily as is now done with the wooden case, and yet can sealed. As thecase is hermetically sealed the coffin cannot rot or corrode, and can atany time be removed from the case by means hereinafter described.

The body of my coffin-case compound is composed, principally, of purerefined Trinidad asphaltum, which is placed in a pan of proper size overa furnace and melted. While in the melted state I add (thoroughlystirring to incorporate the mass) hydraulic cement until it is of suchconsistency as will flow freely from the pan or the ladles provided forthe purpose into the molds. The molds must be oiled previous to theiruse, or the material in cooling will adhere to the same. When morehardness is desired a portion of clean, sharp sand may be added. Caremust be taken to keep the material of an even temperature up to the[110- ment of pouring, and it will be found to be economical to heat thecement and sand previous to their mixing with the asphaltum. This may bedone by covering the flue leading from the mixing-pan with iron platesand placin g the cement and sand thereon, warming the same by the wasteheat from the asphaltumfurnace.

I do not confine myself to the use of the material as compounded forcoffin-cases alone, but shall adapt it for use wherever an imperviousand air-tight receptacle may be required.

To insure a tight joint between the case and its lid I suspend in themold as many bolts as may be considered necessary, with their heads fromthree to six inches below the joint-line. \Vhen the molds are filled thematerial surrounds the bolts and heads, and thus prevents theirwithdrawal. The lid is, of course, cast with holes corresponding withthe bolts in the case, and has in addition one or more bolts ing theusual slings through the rings. The

case is lowered in the grave, and the ring-nuts removed after the coffinis in place. Ring-nuts are threaded upon the bolts provided for thatpurpose, and the lidis left down upon the case over the bolts therein,and the ordinary screwnuts are then screwed down upon the lid, (anelastic packing of rubber or equivalent material having been placed inthe joint.) After the nuts are all secured, to give additional securityto the case, a small quantity of the compound is heated and poured overthe nuts, smoothing it down with a spatula. This prevents the corrosionof the bolt and nut,whioh would occur if left unprotected above the lidof the case, and the smoothing down of the material placed above themfacilitates the removal of the earth from the case, the shovel passingfreely over the same. I find a thickness of about one inch for thebottom, sides, and ends is sufficient, giving ample strength for theabove use, and that a thickness of from one and one-half to two inches,dependent upon the arch given, is sufficient thickness for the lid.

To open the case at any time after closing or exhuming, heat an ironred-hot and place it on the material immediately over the nuts.

This will melt the compound, and, having a Wrench ready, as soon as thenut is laid bare, and While still warm, unscrew it. This done to all thenuts, the lid can be removed, and the operation of sealing and unsealingcan be repeated as often as desired.

Having described my case and compound and mode of manufacture, I claimas follows, to wit:

1'. A coffin case or receptacle, A, having a lid, B, secured to andcombined with the case A by nuts threaded upon the bolts 0, which havetheir heads concealed or cast Within the thickness of the sides of thecase A, substantially as shown, and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of the bolts 0 with the sides of the case A,and ofthe bolts 01 with the lid B of the same, in the manner set forth andsubstantially as and for the purpose specified.

CHARLES C. BOWER.

Witnesses JAMES R. KENNEY, WAYNE HAYMAN.

